
The Birth of Cool
Style Narratives of the African Diaspora
Carol Tulloch(Author)
Berg Publishers
Published on 28. January 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-85973-470-4 (ISBN)
Description
From the zoot suit and Black dandy through to Rastafarianism and beyond, Black style has had a profound influence on the history of dress in the twentieth century. Yet despite this high profile, the dress styles worn by men and women of the African diaspora have received scant attention, even though the culture itself has been widely documented from historical, sociological and political perspectives. Focusing on counter - and sub-cultural contexts, this book investigates the role of dress in the creation and assertion of Black identity. From the home-dressmaking of Jamaican women, through to the Harlem Renaissance and contemporary streetstyles such as Hip-Hop and Raggamuffin, Black Britons, African Americans and Jamaicans have been at the forefront of establishing a variety of Black identities. In their search for a self-image that expresses their diaspora experience, members of these groups have embraced the cultural shapers of modernity and postmodernity in their dress. Drawing on materials from the United States, Britain and Jamaica, this book fills a gap in both the history of Black culture and the history of dress, which has until recently focused on high fashion in Europe.
Because dress can both initiate and confirm change, it provides an especially useful tool for analyzing identity and resistance.
Because dress can both initiate and confirm change, it provides an especially useful tool for analyzing identity and resistance.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
40 b&w illustrations, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-85973-470-4 (9781859734704)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Carol Tulloch is Senior Research Fellow, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London.
Author
Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London, UK
Cover design or artwork
Content
PROVISIONAL Introduction Angel in the Market Place: The African-Jamaican Higgler 'All of Me': Billie Holiday Lasting Impressions: Harlem, Portraiture and Newness Strawberries and Cream: Dress, Migration and the Quintessence of Englishness My Man Let Me Pull Your Coat to Something: Malcolm X Beyond the Frame: Hair, Headwraps and Identity